Well, river has dropped WAY down over the last 10 days or so - more than 3.5 ft. Probably at "normal" levels by now but have to think the fish are a bit confused.

Fishing below the fairgrounds landing one night this week yielded poor results - just a couple 'o dinks in almost 4 hours. Threw the kitchen sink at em too. Might have been better to go up the creek and fish the wood.

I'm takin the boat out right now to do some fishin and some swimin.
I'll let you know how we do fishin.

Had a pretty good weekend on the river - Satruday had a great topwater bite and a 19.25" and Sunday had fewer fish but twin 19.5" smallies! Very fun time!

Did you catch that 9.5" smallie right across from the fishing pier near Rivers Bend Park? I was talkin to a older guy last night that told me a guy caught a 9.5" smallie there.
Last night I missed a couple and Im going out again pretty soon.
lake Off we should meet up and fish sometime??

I went to the Rum a couple of weeks ago. One Sunday the water was over the docks and the next Sunday it was normal levels. The fishing sucked either way for me. 3 lil smallies. Pike were hitting well though. Then got a nice verbal lashing from the Sherriff about the no wake rule and the shore owners are calling in complaining. He told me that we put it in gear and thats all we get. I said I thought it was 5MPH and under and he got pizzed at me. Ugh - what an a-hole. He stopped everyone that I saw.

EB -

Wow - sounds like the sheriff needs some Midol or something. Last time I saw the sheriff out there HE was breaking the no wake zone rule in his air boat picking up the "No Wake Zone" buoys (go figure). I've said this before but some of the biggest violators I have seen are the proerpty owners themselves in their pontoons. This year though I have seen more people with a big wake than without one. Mostly it seems to be the smaller boats too.

I know all this idling is playing havoc with my outboard. I need to get out on a lake and blow it out once in a while.

8pt - One of the 19.5" (not 9.5") did come from that general area if that is the fishing dock/park south of Cty Rd 116.

He was a [PoorWordUsage] working on beautiful Sunday evening so maybe that had something to do with it. His deputy didn't say a word. It's funny as the shore owners wave as we putz by. I've seen the no wake rule broken by all sorts of rigs. Heck when I towed Ron SChara back to his place he gave me the OK to go on plane. I think he just wanted to get home.

Unless you live on a river you don't see just how much damage the wake's do. When you're a resident you just say the heck with it and quit caring after watching the visitor's. Rum's a lot better than the Miss, no "pleasure boats". Neighbor accross the river has the backside of his new wall washing out because of skier's and wake board boats and high water. Not a happy guy.

I dont know bout you guys but the bite is slooooooooooow on the river. I fished with my cousin for 4 hours today and all we had to show for was one 12" smallie. That is sad!!!
Here is a picture of a Northern I caught near rivers bend park on the Rapala right before the down pour on Monday.

Please tell me you kept it so there is one less of those blasted snot rockets in the water....

MSR - Could not agree with you more - this is especially true on a smaller river where wakes would cause waves that were beyond being a natural phenomenon. I know this is true on the Mississippi as well but even the wind can throw a 2 ft roller along the shore there whereas on the Rum not so much. I could not believe the size of the rollers on opener caused by the wind on Bass Opener on the big river. Might as well have gone to Tonka!

There's a difference between no wake (under 5MPH) and closed throttle. It clearly states that under no circumstances to not exceed 5 MPH. OK so we don't, but apparently 4MPH is a no no to. I might as well just use the trolling motor or a wind sail, I could swim the boat upstream to. Mind you I have 14' jon boat. Sure it makes a wake to, but I don't move that much water. The canoe professionals go faster than 5 MPH. Heck the shore owners with the pontoons make a wake. I'd rather go to Tonka and deal with the waves then go .5 MPH on the rum. It'll take 3 hours to get above the no wake zone. Oh well, I can ruin MSRD's shoreline on da sippi.

Have at it, bet you start hating Wake board boats before you leave. Next time you're over I have a large rock that was hidden when I moved in, Suzie can now stand on it, remind me to show it to you if I forget. My shoreline is pretty protected now but before the dock is in you just watch the soil go away.

I first fished the Rum when the sign was just before the launch that required 10HP max, I didn't like the pontoons then and had the same thought's.

Not trying to change the fun No wake topic.
Fished the rum sunday just north of the dam from shore. Caught a 19 inch smallie. Had a couple of other hits but pretty dull otherwise.

Nice job Nils - I was on the Rum Saturday from first light till noon and only managed 6-7 smalleis with none going over 17". The snot rockets were everywhere and took two topwaters in the first hour - ticked me off big time! Caught more snot rockets than smallies for the frist time in forever. Missed a good fish on a jig/plastic in the pads -operator error....

Other thing I noticed is those blasted suckers were everywhere - there were stacks of 'em in all my smallie places below the landing....geesh!

I still haven't been back. Nice job on the 19".

In the pads? One of them Rum River Largies? Prolly another pike - on Sat I caught 2 pike going for bass. You'd think they'd know it wasn't meant for them.